Accelerating drawers and refrigerators

Abstract

This disclosure provides a food ripening drawer and a refrigerator. The food ripening drawer may include a drawer body, an ethylene generating device, and an ethylene transmission pipe. The ethylene generating device may include a metal-organic framework (MOF) component and an ultraviolet (UV) light generator. The MOF component absorbs carbon dioxide, and the UV light generator emits UV light that irradiates the MOF component, converting carbon dioxide into ethylene. The ethylene generated by the ethylene generating device is transmitted to the drawer body through the ethylene transmission pipe, thereby ripening the food (e.g., fruits, vegetables) stored in the drawer body. This disclosure eliminates the need for costly ethylene bottles and ethephon, significantly reducing ripening costs. Furthermore, the UV light can simultaneously sterilize the generated ethylene, ensuring that the ethylene delivered to the drawer body is uncontaminated, thus better ensuring the successful ripening of the food.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of refrigerator technology, and more particularly to a ripening drawer and a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] Some fruits and vegetables need to be harvested before they are fully ripe to ensure quality and reduce spoilage during transportation. However, this means consumers often need to ripen them after purchase to maintain their taste. Some technologies use ethylene cylinders or ethephon to provide ethylene for ripening. However, this method is costly and not suitable for home use. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of this, in order to solve the technical problem of high ripening cost in the prior art, this disclosure provides a ripening drawer and a refrigerator.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a ripening-enhancing drawer is provided, the ripening-enhancing drawer comprising:

[0005] The main drawer is used to store food that needs to be ripened.

[0006] An ethylene generating device includes a metal-organic framework material assembly and an ultraviolet light generator, wherein the metal-organic framework material assembly is used to absorb carbon dioxide, and the ultraviolet light generator is used to emit ultraviolet light that irradiates the metal-organic framework material assembly to convert carbon dioxide into ethylene;

[0007] An ethylene transmission pipeline is used to transmit ethylene generated by the ethylene generating device to the drawer body to provide ethylene for ripening the food to be ripened in the drawer body.

[0008] In one alternative implementation,

[0009] The ripening drawer includes an air duct, the ethylene generating device is located inside the air duct, one end of the ethylene transmission pipe is connected to the air duct, and the other end of the ethylene transmission pipe is connected to the drawer body.

[0010] In one alternative implementation,

[0011] The ripening drawer includes an ethylene separation membrane located within the air duct, which divides the air duct into a first space and a second space. The metal-organic framework material assembly and the ultraviolet light generator are located in the first space, and the ethylene transmission pipe is located in the second space, where it connects to the air duct.

[0012] In one alternative implementation,

[0013] The duct includes a first end and a second end opposite to each other, the metal-organic framework material assembly is disposed at the first end of the duct, and the ethylene transmission pipe is connected to the duct at the second end of the duct.

[0014] In one alternative implementation,

[0015] The air duct includes a top cover, and the ultraviolet light generator is installed on the side of the top cover facing into the air duct.

[0016] In one alternative implementation,

[0017] The metal-organic framework material assembly includes a metal-organic framework material with added copper and a semiconductor material.

[0018] In one alternative implementation,

[0019] The metal-organic framework material assembly is constructed in a honeycomb-like structure.

[0020] In one alternative implementation,

[0021] The ripening drawer includes a transfer pump, which is used to pump the ethylene generated by the ethylene generating device into the drawer body through the ethylene transfer pipeline.

[0022] In one alternative implementation,

[0023] The ripening drawer includes an ethylene detection device, an image acquisition device, and a control device. The ethylene detection device is used to detect the current ethylene concentration inside the drawer body, and the image acquisition device is used to acquire the current image of the food to be ripened inside the drawer body. The ethylene detection device, the image acquisition device, and the transfer pump are all electrically connected to the control device.

[0024] The control device is configured to determine the current maturity of the food to be ripened based on the current image acquired by the image acquisition device, and to control the transfer pump to be in an on or off state based on the current maturity of the food to be ripened and / or the current ethylene concentration detected by the ethylene detection device.

[0025] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a refrigerator is provided, the refrigerator including a ripening drawer as described in any of the first aspects.

[0026] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure can include the following beneficial effects: In this disclosure, the ripening drawer may include a drawer body, an ethylene generating device, and an ethylene transmission pipe. The ethylene generating device may include a metal-organic framework (MOF) material assembly and an ultraviolet (UV) light generator. The MOF material assembly is used to absorb carbon dioxide, and the UV light generator is used to emit UV light that irradiates the MOF material assembly, thereby converting carbon dioxide into ethylene. The ethylene generated by the ethylene generating device can be transmitted to the drawer body through the ethylene transmission pipe, thereby ripening the food (e.g., fruits, vegetables, etc.) stored in the drawer body. This disclosure eliminates the need for costly ethylene bottles and ethephon. Instead, it uses the MOF material assembly to absorb carbon dioxide, and then emits UV light through the UV light generator, irradiating the MOF material assembly, thereby converting the absorbed carbon dioxide into ethylene for ripening, which can significantly reduce ripening costs. In addition, the use of UV light to irradiate the MOF material assembly to generate ethylene in this disclosure allows for simultaneous sterilization of the generated ethylene, ensuring that the ethylene sent into the drawer body is uncontaminated, thus better ensuring the successful ripening of the food.

[0027] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0031] Figure 1 This is an exploded schematic diagram of a ripening drawer according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0032] Figure 2 This is another exploded schematic diagram of a ripening drawer according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0033] Figure 3This is an assembly diagram of a ripening drawer according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a ripening drawer according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a ripening control method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0036] in:

[0037] 1. Drawer body; 2. Ethylene generating device; 21. Metal-organic frame material assembly; 22. Ultraviolet light generator; 3. Ethylene transmission pipeline; 4. Ethylene separation membrane; 5. Transfer pump; 6. Air duct; 61. Top cover. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0039] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or examples for implementing various aspects of the present invention. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples. Such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed.

[0040] For ease of description, spatial relative terms may be used in the text to describe the relative position or movement of one element or feature relative to another element or feature, as shown in the figure. These relative terms include, for example, "inside," "outside," "middle," "outer," "below," "below," "above," "front," "back," etc. Such spatial relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation, other than those depicted in the figure. For example, if the device in the figure undergoes a positional flip, orientation change, or change of motion, these directional indications will change accordingly. For instance, an element described as "below other elements or features" or "below other elements or features" will subsequently be oriented "above other elements or features" or "above other elements or features." Therefore, the example term "below" can include both upper and lower orientations. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in other directions), and the spatial relative descriptors used in the text will be interpreted accordingly.

[0041] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this application. Therefore, the drawings only show the components related to this application and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0042] The embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments are only for illustrating this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0043] To address the technical problem of high ripening costs in existing technologies, this disclosure provides a ripening drawer, a refrigerator, and a ripening control method.

[0044] In this disclosure, the ripening drawer may include a drawer body, an ethylene generating device, and an ethylene transmission pipe. The ethylene generating device may include a metal-organic framework (MOF) material assembly and an ultraviolet (UV) light generator. The MOF material assembly absorbs carbon dioxide, and the UV light generator emits UV light that irradiates the MOF material assembly, converting the carbon dioxide into ethylene. The ethylene generated by the ethylene generating device can be transmitted to the drawer body through the ethylene transmission pipe, thereby ripening the food (e.g., fruits, vegetables) stored in the drawer body. This disclosure eliminates the need for costly ethylene bottles and ethephon. Instead, it uses the MOF material assembly to absorb carbon dioxide, and then the UV light generator emits UV light that irradiates the MOF material assembly, converting the absorbed carbon dioxide into ethylene for ripening, significantly reducing ripening costs. Furthermore, the use of UV light to irradiate the MOF material assembly to generate ethylene allows for simultaneous sterilization of the generated ethylene, ensuring that the ethylene delivered to the drawer body is uncontaminated and better guaranteeing successful ripening of the food.

[0045] In one exemplary embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 4 As shown, a ripening drawer is provided, as well as a refrigerator equipped with the ripening drawer. In this embodiment, the ripening drawer may include a drawer body 1, an ethylene generating device 2, and an ethylene transmission pipe 3.

[0046] The drawer body 1 can be used to store food to be ripened. For example, the drawer body 1 may include a shell and a drawer, with the drawer connected to the shell by a slide rail for smooth opening and closing. When closed, a sealing strip ensures a relatively sealed space inside the drawer. The drawer is used to store food to be ripened, which may include fruits, vegetables, or other foods that require ripening; there are no limitations on this. Adjustable dividers are provided inside the drawer to facilitate the storage of food of different volumes to be ripened.

[0047] The ethylene generating device 2 may include a metal-organic framework (MOF) material assembly and an ultraviolet (UV) light generator 22. The UV light generator 22 may include at least one UV lamp or UV light strip. The MOF material assembly 21 is used to absorb carbon dioxide. The UV light generator 22 is used to emit UV light that irradiates the MOF material assembly 21, thereby converting carbon dioxide into ethylene.

[0048] The metal-organic framework (MOF) component 21 may include a copper-based MOF and a semiconductor material. The copper-based MOF can be referred to as a copper-based metal-organic framework (Cu-MOF). Combining it with a semiconductor material can modify the MOF material, giving it enhanced catalytic performance. The semiconductor material can serve as a catalyst for the conversion of carbon dioxide to ethylene, promoting electron transfer and stabilizing intermediate products, further improving catalytic performance.

[0049] It should be noted that the reduction of ethylene by ultraviolet light irradiation of MOFs material component 21 is a multi-step process involving light absorption, charge separation, CO2 adsorption and activation, electron transfer, ethylene generation, and product release.

[0050] The process begins with selecting a catalyst, typically TiO2 (a semiconductor material), and adding Cu (a metallic metal) to form a MOF (Metal-on-Factory) material assembly 21. During the ethylene reduction process, ultraviolet light is used to irradiate the MOF material assembly 21, exciting electron-hole pairs. Electrons are transferred to CO2 molecules, promoting their reduction reaction. During catalysis, CO2 forms an intermediate on the surface of the MOF material assembly 21, which is further reduced to ethylene and released from the surface of the MOF material assembly 21 into its surrounding environment, thus achieving the conversion of carbon dioxide to ethylene.

[0051] Among them, the MOFs material component 21 can be constructed as a honeycomb coal-like structure. The honeycomb coal-like MOFs material component 21 has an extremely high specific surface area and abundant active sites, which can significantly improve the adsorption and activation efficiency of carbon dioxide, thereby accelerating the reaction rate of carbon dioxide reduction to ethylene and increasing the yield.

[0052] The ethylene transmission pipe 3 can be used to transfer ethylene generated by the ethylene generating device 2 to the drawer body 1, providing ethylene for the food to be cooked inside the drawer body 1, thereby cooking the food. For example, the ethylene transmission pipe 3 can be made of food-grade silicone tubing. In addition, a diffusion fan can be installed at the end of the pipe to accelerate the diffusion of ethylene inside the drawer.

[0053] It should be noted that traditional ripening methods rely on purchasing ethylene cylinders or using ethephon solutions. Ethylene cylinders are costly to purchase, transport, and store, and pose a risk of gas leakage. Ethephon, as a chemical reagent, may leave harmful residues with long-term use. Other methods utilize electrochemical reduction or thermocatalytic reduction to produce ethylene, but these require strong electricity and high temperatures, making them unsuitable for refrigerators. In this embodiment, there is no need for costly ethylene cylinders and ethephon. Instead, carbon dioxide is absorbed by the metal-organic framework material component 21, and then ultraviolet light is emitted by the ultraviolet light generator 22, irradiating the metal-organic framework material component 21. This converts the absorbed carbon dioxide into ethylene for ripening. The raw material cost is almost zero, significantly reducing ripening costs, and the method is safer, more reliable, and more suitable for refrigerators.

[0054] Furthermore, the ripening process in this embodiment only involves carbon dioxide, ultraviolet light, and MOF material components 21, without introducing any chemical additives, thus avoiding pollution to food and the environment caused by chemical ripening agents. At the same time, the conversion of carbon dioxide into ethylene achieves a certain degree of carbon resource utilization, which aligns with the low-carbon and environmentally friendly concept.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, while the ultraviolet light excites the catalytic reaction of the MOFs material component 21, it also has a bactericidal effect on the ethylene produced and the environment in which the ethylene generating device 2 is located. The ultraviolet light can effectively kill common fruit pathogens such as Escherichia coli and mold, ensuring that the ethylene sent into the drawer body 1 is uncontaminated, thus maintaining the freshness of the food to be ripened during the ripening process and extending its shelf life.

[0056] In one exemplary embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 4 As shown, a ripening drawer and a refrigerator equipped with the ripening drawer are provided. In this embodiment, the ripening drawer may include an air duct 6. An ethylene generating device 2 for the ripening drawer may be located within the air duct 6, and one end of an ethylene transmission pipe 3 is connected to the air duct 6, while the other end of the ethylene transmission pipe 3 is connected to the drawer body 1. The MOFs material component 21 can absorb carbon dioxide in the air duct 6 and convert it into ethylene, which is then transmitted to the drawer body 1 through the ethylene transmission pipe 3.

[0057] In this embodiment, there is no need to construct an additional housing for the ethylene generating device 2. Instead, the ethylene generating device 2 is placed within the existing air duct 6, thus providing space for the generation and collection of ethylene. Furthermore, the MOF material component 21 of the ethylene generating device 2 can absorb carbon dioxide within the air duct 6, reducing the refrigerator's carbon emissions. Additionally, during the conversion of carbon dioxide to ethylene, ultraviolet light irradiation can also sterilize the air duct 6, thereby better ensuring a sterile environment within the air duct 6. This, in turn, ensures the sterility of the gases transmitted through the air duct 6 to the various compartments and drawers within the refrigerator, further improving the refrigerator's performance.

[0058] The ripening drawer may include an ethylene separation membrane 4, which is located within the air duct 6 and divides the air duct 6 into a first space and a second space. The metal-organic framework material assembly 21 and the ultraviolet light generator 22 are located in the first space and are used to convert carbon dioxide into ethylene. The ethylene transmission pipe 3 communicates with the air duct 6 in the second space. The ethylene separation membrane 4 allows the second space to be enriched with ethylene, thus better delivering high-concentration ethylene to the drawer body 1 via the ethylene transmission pipe 3.

[0059] The air duct 6 may include a first end and a second end. A metal-organic framework (MOF) material assembly 21 is disposed at the first end of the air duct 6, the ethylene transmission pipe 3 communicates with the air duct 6 at the second end, and the ethylene separation membrane 4 is disposed near the second end. In other words, the ethylene separation membrane 4 divides the air duct 6 into a first space and a second space, with the first space being larger than the second space. This provides sufficient reaction space for the conversion of carbon dioxide to ethylene, ensuring the smooth progress of the catalytic reaction. Simultaneously, the larger size of the first space facilitates the placement of the MOF material assembly 21 and the ultraviolet generator 22, and allows for the placement of sufficient MOF material assemblies 21 and ultraviolet generators, thereby better ensuring the conversion of carbon dioxide to ethylene.

[0060] The ethylene separation membrane 4 can be connected to the inner wall of the air duct 6 by snap-fitting, adhesive bonding, or fasteners, and there are no restrictions on this.

[0061] It should be noted that in the air duct 6, the gas enters from the first end and, after passing through the metal-organic framework material assembly 21 and the ethylene separation membrane 4, the ethylene is discharged from the second end of the air duct 6. Since the metal-organic framework material assembly 21 is located upstream of the gas flow direction in the air duct 6, it is configured with a honeycomb-like structure to better ensure that carbon dioxide in the gas is absorbed and passes through it. Furthermore, the pores in the honeycomb-like metal-organic framework material assembly 21 also ensure the passage of ultraviolet light, which can better improve the ethylene conversion efficiency.

[0062] In some embodiments, a U-shaped groove is provided on the inner wall of the air duct 6 corresponding to the position of the ethylene separation membrane 4, forming a closed loop around the four walls of the air duct 6. The groove can be designed with a smooth surface to reduce gas flow resistance. The edge of the ethylene separation membrane 4 is wrapped with a silicone sealing ring, and the outer side of the silicone sealing ring is designed with a raised structure that matches the groove. The ethylene separation membrane 4 is cut into a rectangle slightly larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the air duct 6 to ensure complete coverage of the air duct 6 cross-section. When installing the ethylene separation membrane 4, the ethylene separation membrane 4 with the silicone sealing ring can be aligned with the groove and pushed in along the groove direction. The raised structure of the silicone sealing ring fits tightly with the groove to form a sealed connection. After installation, the pressure difference on both sides of the ethylene separation membrane 4 can be detected by injecting low-pressure air into the air duct 6 to ensure the sealing effect. The ethylene separation membrane 4 in this embodiment is easy to install and can be quickly disassembled and replaced. In addition, the elasticity of the silicone sealing ring can compensate for the dimensional error between the air duct 6 and the ethylene separation membrane 4, ensuring high airtightness, making it more suitable for the ripening drawer of a household refrigerator.

[0063] In other embodiments, an annular neodymium iron boron permanent magnet is embedded in the inner wall of the air duct 6, and the outer side of the permanent magnet is covered with an insulating plastic protective layer. A thin iron-nickel alloy sheet is laminated to the edge of the ethylene separation membrane 4. This alloy sheet has good flexibility and does not affect the gas permeability of the separation membrane. When installing the ethylene separation membrane 4, the membrane with the iron-nickel alloy sheet can be brought close to the permanent magnet area of ​​the air duct 6 and fixed by magnetic attraction. To prevent the separation membrane from shifting, a limiting groove can be provided in the inner wall of the air duct 6, and the alloy sheet is embedded in the groove for positioning. In this embodiment, the installation and removal of the ethylene separation membrane 4 is extremely quick and requires no tools. The magnetic connection can, to some extent, buffer the impact of the airflow within the air duct 6 on the separation membrane.

[0064] It should be noted that, in addition to the above-described implementation method, other methods may also be used to connect the ethylene separation membrane 4 and the air duct 6, and no limitation is imposed on this method.

[0065] In this embodiment, the barrier effect of the ethylene separation membrane 4 allows unreacted carbon dioxide and air to remain in the first space, thereby increasing the concentration of ethylene from the low concentration in the catalytic zone (first space) to the high concentration in the enrichment zone (second space), ensuring the purity of the ethylene transferred to the drawer body 1.

[0066] In this embodiment, the air duct 6 may include a top cover 61. An ultraviolet (UV) light generator 22 may be installed on the side of the top cover 61 facing inwards from the air duct 6. Installing the UV light generator 22 inside the top cover 61 of the air duct 6 makes the internal structure of the ripening drawer more compact, making better use of space, reducing the extra volume occupied by components, facilitating integration with refrigerators or other equipment, and improving the overall design and space utilization of the product. Furthermore, the design of the top cover 61 of the air duct 6 allows the UV light generator 22 to irradiate the MOFs material components at close range and without obstruction, better ensuring that each active site receives sufficient light and avoiding a decrease in catalytic efficiency due to blind spots.

[0067] For example, the ultraviolet light generator contains more than 22 ultraviolet lamps. These lamps can be arranged in a strip, a matrix, or other arrangements; there are no limitations on this. A groove is pre-cut inside the top cover 61 of the air duct 6, into which the ultraviolet lamps can be embedded and secured with waterproof double-sided tape, ensuring a tight fit between the lamps and the top cover 61. The electrical connection wires of the ultraviolet lamps can be led out through a waterproof connector and connected to the refrigerator's electrical system.

[0068] In this embodiment, by rationally arranging the ethylene generating device 2 and the ethylene separation membrane 4 within the air duct 6, the generation and transmission of ethylene can be better realized, thereby improving the ripening effect of the ripening drawer on food requiring ripening.

[0069] In one exemplary embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 4 As shown, a ripening drawer is provided, as well as a refrigerator equipped with the ripening drawer, and a ripening control method applied to the aforementioned ripening drawer. In this embodiment, the ripening drawer may include a transfer pump 5 (e.g., a vacuum pump), which is used to pump ethylene generated by the ethylene generating device 2 into the drawer body 1 through an ethylene transfer pipe 3. The transfer pump 5 may be provided with a connection point between the ethylene transfer pipe 3 and the air duct 6, which facilitates the placement of the transfer pump 5 while ensuring the effectiveness of pumping ethylene.

[0070] The transfer pump 5 and the air duct 6 can be fixedly connected by adhesive, snap-fit ​​or fasteners (such as screws) to ensure the stable installation of the transfer pump 5, which will not be elaborated further.

[0071] In addition, in this embodiment, the ripening drawer may include an ethylene detection device (not shown in the figure), an image acquisition device (not shown in the figure), and a control device (not shown in the figure). The ethylene detection device is used to detect the current ethylene concentration inside the drawer body 1, and the image acquisition device is used to acquire a current image of the food to be ripened inside the drawer body 1.

[0072] The ethylene detection device, the image acquisition device, and the transfer pump 5 are electrically connected to the control device. The control device can be configured to determine the current maturity of the food to be ripened based on the current image acquired by the image acquisition device, and control the transfer pump 5 to be in an on or off state based on the current maturity of the food to be ripened and / or the current ethylene concentration detected by the ethylene detection device.

[0073] In other words, an image acquisition device (e.g., a camera) can be installed inside the drawer body 1. After acquiring a current image of the food to be ripened inside the drawer body 1, it can transmit the image to the control device, allowing the control device to obtain the current image. An ethylene detection device (e.g., an ethylene concentration sensor) can be installed inside the drawer body 1. After detecting the current ethylene concentration inside the drawer body 1, it can transmit the information to the control device, allowing the control device to obtain the current ethylene concentration. Then, the control device can determine the current ripeness of the food to be ripened based on the current image. After obtaining the current ripeness and the current ethylene concentration, the control device can control the transfer pump 5 to be in an on or off state based on the current ripeness and / or the current ethylene concentration.

[0074] For example, if the current maturity level has reached the required level (e.g., the current maturity level is greater than or equal to 2 / 3), then ripening is not required, meaning there is no need to supply ethylene to the drawer body 1, and the transfer pump 5 can be kept off. Conversely, if the current maturity level has not reached the required level (e.g., the current maturity is 1 / 3), then ripening is required. In this case, if the current ethylene concentration is relatively low (e.g., below the target ethylene concentration, which can be set according to actual needs or determined based on the current maturity level, without limitation), then ethylene needs to be supplied to the drawer body 1, and the transfer pump 5 can be kept on. The transfer pump 5 can then transfer the ethylene generated by the ethylene generating device 2 to the drawer body 1 through the ethylene transfer pipe 3 to ripen the food inside the drawer body 1.

[0075] It should be noted that, in addition to controlling the state of the transfer pump 5 in the manner described above, it can also be controlled in other ways, and there are no limitations on this.

[0076] In this embodiment, the transfer pump 5 is configured to provide stable power for ethylene delivery. Compared to natural diffusion, the transfer pump 5 improves the efficiency of ethylene transfer from the air duct 6 to the drawer body 1. Furthermore, through the coordinated operation of the image acquisition device, ethylene detection device, transfer pump 5, and control device, this embodiment can better control the ethylene concentration within the drawer body 1, thereby achieving a more precise ripening effect and enhancing the user experience.

[0077] In one exemplary embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 5 As shown, a ripening control method is provided, which can be applied to the ripening drawer and refrigerator in the above embodiments. The ripening control method may include:

[0078] S110. Obtain the current image of the food to be ripened inside the drawer body;

[0079] S120. Determine the current maturity of the food to be ripened based on the current image of the food to be ripened;

[0080] S130, Obtain the current ethylene concentration inside the drawer body;

[0081] S140. Based on the current maturity of the food to be ripened and / or the current ethylene concentration in the drawer body, control the transfer pump of the ripening drawer to be in the on or off state.

[0082] In step S110, an image acquisition device may be installed inside the drawer body 1. The image acquisition device can acquire the current image of the food to be ripened, and the control device can obtain the current image of the food to be ripened from the image acquisition device.

[0083] In step S120, after the control device obtains the current image, it can determine the current maturity of the food to be ripened based on the current image.

[0084] For example, the control device can transmit the current image to a neural network model for determining maturity, and then the neural network model outputs the maturity corresponding to the current image, which is denoted as the current maturity.

[0085] For example, the storage component of the control device can store images of different fruits at different stages of ripeness in advance. After obtaining the current image of the food to be ripened, the control device can compare it with the pre-stored images and then determine the ripeness corresponding to the pre-stored image with the highest similarity as the current ripeness.

[0086] It should be noted that, in addition to the methods described above, maturity can also be determined in other ways, and no limitation is made on these methods.

[0087] In step S130, an ethylene detection device may be installed inside the drawer body 1. The ethylene detection device can detect the current ethylene concentration inside the drawer body 1, and the control device can obtain the current ethylene concentration inside the drawer body 1 from the ethylene detection device.

[0088] In step S140, after obtaining the current maturity level, the control device can determine whether the current maturity level is greater than or equal to the set maturity level. The set maturity level can be set according to actual needs, and its specific value is not limited.

[0089] In this step, if the current maturity is determined to be greater than or equal to the set maturity, it means that the food to be ripened does not need to be ripened and there is no need to provide ethylene to the drawer body 1. In this case, the control device can control the transfer pump 5 to be in the off state.

[0090] If the current maturity level is determined to be lower than the set maturity level, the target ethylene concentration range within drawer body 1 can be determined based on the current maturity level of the food to be ripened. In other words, the required ethylene concentration range for the food to be ripened at the current maturity level is determined. After determining the target ethylene concentration range, the transfer pump 5 is controlled to be either off or on based on the target ethylene concentration range and the current ethylene concentration.

[0091] The target ethylene concentration range can be compared with the current ethylene concentration. If it is determined that the current ethylene concentration has not reached the target ethylene concentration range, that is, if the current ethylene concentration is less than the minimum value of the target ethylene concentration range, it indicates that ethylene needs to be added to the drawer body 1. In this case, the transfer pump 5 can be turned on. The transfer pump 5 can then transfer the ethylene generated by the ethylene generating device 2 in the air duct 6 to the drawer body 1 for ripening the food.

[0092] If it is determined that the current ethylene concentration reaches the target ethylene concentration range, that is, the current ethylene concentration is within the target ethylene concentration range, or the current ethylene concentration is greater than the maximum value of the target ethylene concentration range, then it means that there is no need to add ethylene to the drawer body 1. In this case, the transfer pump 5 can be controlled to be in the off state.

[0093] In some embodiments, the storage component of the control device may store ethylene concentration configuration information, which includes a one-to-one correspondence between multiple preset maturity ranges and multiple preset ethylene concentration ranges. After obtaining the current maturity level, the control device can search for the preset maturity range to which the current maturity level belongs in the ethylene concentration configuration information, and then determine the preset ethylene concentration range corresponding to the found preset maturity range as the target ethylene concentration range.

[0094] It should be noted that, in addition to determining the target ethylene concentration range through the methods described above, other methods can also be used, and there are no limitations on these methods.

[0095] In this embodiment, the coordinated operation of the image acquisition device, ethylene detection device, transfer pump 5, and control device allows for better control of the ethylene concentration within the drawer body 1, resulting in a more precise ripening effect and improved user experience. Furthermore, the transfer pump 5 provides stable power for ethylene delivery. Compared to natural diffusion, the transfer pump 5 increases the efficiency of ethylene transfer from the air duct 6 to the drawer body 1, further enhancing the user experience.

[0096] In one exemplary embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 5 As shown, a ripening drawer is provided, as well as a refrigerator equipped with the ripening drawer, and a ripening control method applied to the ripening drawer. In this embodiment, the ripening drawer may include a drawer body 1, an ethylene detection device, an air duct 6, a honeycomb-shaped MOFs material assembly 21, an ultraviolet light generator 22 (e.g., multiple ultraviolet lamp beads), an ethylene separation membrane 4, a transfer pump 5 (e.g., a vacuum pump), an ethylene flow pipe, etc.

[0097] Drawer body 1 is used to store food that needs to be ripened, such as unripe fruit. An ethylene detection device, such as an ethylene sensor, is used to monitor whether the ethylene concentration inside drawer body 1 reaches the required concentration. Air duct 6 is used to supply air to the refrigerator. A honeycomb-shaped MOF (Metal-Oxide-Factory) material assembly 21 is located at the air inlet (i.e., the first end) of air duct 6, and an ultraviolet light generator 22 is located above air duct 6 to irradiate the MOF material assembly 21. An ethylene separation membrane 4 is located near the rear of air duct 6 to separate and collect ethylene gas, concentrating ethylene in the space on the side of the ethylene separation membrane 4 away from the air inlet. A transfer pump 5 and an ethylene transfer pipe 3 can be located near the ethylene collection side, i.e., at the rear of air duct 6, to draw gas and deliver it into drawer body 1.

[0098] The metal-organic framework (MOF) component 21 may include a copper-based MOF and a semiconductor material. The copper-based MOF can be referred to as a copper-based metal-organic framework (Cu-MOF). Combining it with a semiconductor material can modify the MOF material, giving it enhanced catalytic performance. The semiconductor material can serve as a catalyst for the conversion of carbon dioxide to ethylene, promoting electron transfer and stabilizing intermediate products, further improving catalytic performance.

[0099] It should be noted that the reduction of ethylene by ultraviolet light irradiation of MOFs material component 21 is a multi-step process involving light absorption, charge separation, CO2 adsorption and activation, electron transfer, ethylene generation, and product release.

[0100] The process begins with selecting a catalyst, typically TiO2 (a semiconductor material), and adding Cu (a metallic metal) to form a MOF (Metal-on-Factory) material assembly 21. During the ethylene reduction process, ultraviolet light is used to irradiate the MOF material assembly 21, exciting electron-hole pairs. Electrons are transferred to CO2 molecules, promoting their reduction reaction. During catalysis, CO2 forms an intermediate on the surface of the MOF material assembly 21, which is further reduced to ethylene and released from the surface of the MOF material assembly 21 into its surrounding environment, thus achieving the conversion of carbon dioxide to ethylene.

[0101] Among them, the MOFs material component 21 can be constructed as a honeycomb coal-like structure. The honeycomb coal-like MOFs material component 21 has an extremely high specific surface area and abundant active sites, which can significantly improve the adsorption and activation efficiency of carbon dioxide, thereby accelerating the reaction rate of carbon dioxide reduction to ethylene and increasing the yield.

[0102] It should be noted that, compared to traditional ripening methods that rely on purchasing ethylene cylinders or using ethephon, and some methods that utilize electrochemical reduction or thermocatalytic reduction to produce ethylene, this embodiment eliminates the need for costly ethylene cylinders and ethephon. Instead, carbon dioxide is absorbed by the metal-organic framework material component 21, and then ultraviolet light is emitted by the ultraviolet light generator 22, irradiating the metal-organic framework material component 21. This causes the absorbed carbon dioxide to be converted into ethylene for ripening. The raw material cost is almost zero, significantly reducing ripening costs. Furthermore, it requires no high voltage or high temperature, making it safer, more reliable, and more suitable for refrigerators.

[0103] The ripening control system of the ripening drawer is pre-loaded with images of different fruits at different stages of ripeness. After the system detects the fruit in the ripening drawer, it can capture the current image through a camera and then transmit it to the system for comparison to determine the current ripeness.

[0104] The process involves the user placing the fruit to be ripened into a drawer and closing the door. The camera then takes a picture of the fruit's condition, and the generated image is automatically uploaded to the system. The ripening control system can then identify the fruit's current ripeness and automatically control the vacuum pump based on the required ethylene concentration range for different ripeness levels.

[0105] If the fruit's current maturity is determined to be 1 / 3 ripe or completely unripe, the target ethylene concentration range can be set at 30-40 ppm. That is, the fruit can only be considered successfully ripened if the ethylene concentration within drawer 1 reaches this range. An ethylene sensor monitors the ethylene concentration within the drawer in real time. If the ethylene concentration detected by the sensor reaches the required concentration, the vacuum pump is shut off; if the current ethylene concentration does not reach the required concentration, the vacuum pump remains on.

[0106] It should be noted that since ethylene needs to be maintained at a specific concentration for a certain period of time (e.g., two hours) to ensure successful ripening, the ethylene sensor can monitor the ethylene concentration inside the drawer body 1 in real time, so that the ripening control system can control the status of the vacuum pump at any time.

[0107] If the fruit is determined to be 2 / 3 ripe, then based on this current ripeness, the ethylene concentration inside drawer body 1 needs to reach 20-30 ppm, meaning the target ethylene concentration range is 20-30 ppm. The ethylene sensor monitors the ethylene concentration inside drawer body 1 in real time. If the detected current ethylene concentration reaches the required level, the vacuum pump can be shut off; if the detected current ethylene concentration does not reach the required level, the vacuum pump can be kept on.

[0108] If the fruit is determined to be more than 2 / 3 ripe, then ripening is not necessary, the vacuum pump can be turned off, and ripening is not required.

[0109] In this embodiment, the MOF material component 21 has an extremely high specific surface area and abundant active sites, which can significantly improve the adsorption and activation efficiency of carbon dioxide, thereby accelerating the reaction rate of carbon dioxide reduction to ethylene and increasing the yield. Furthermore, this embodiment utilizes carbon dioxide in the air duct 6 as a raw material for ethylene reduction, which not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also converts them into useful ethylene resources, aligning with the concepts of green chemistry and sustainable development. Moreover, this embodiment controls ethylene release based on maturity and ethylene concentration, allowing for precise control of ethylene release and accurate regulation of the fruit ripening process. This avoids over-ripening or under-ripening, addressing the problem of users storing purchased fruit for extended periods to ripen, resulting in wasted fruit ripening all at once.

[0110] Those skilled in the art will further recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate the interchangeability of hardware and software, the components and steps of the various examples have been generally described in terms of functionality in the foregoing description. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0111] It should be noted that the terms "one implementation," "embodiment," "exemplary embodiment," and "some embodiments" used in the specification indicate that the described embodiment may include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes that specific feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, implementing such a feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not, is within the knowledge scope of those skilled in the art.

[0112] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or air conditioner that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or air conditioner. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or air conditioner that includes said element.

[0113] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments provided to fully illustrate this application, and the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on this application are all within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A ripening drawer, characterized in that, The ripening drawer includes: The main drawer is used to store food that needs to be ripened. An ethylene generating device includes a metal-organic framework material assembly and an ultraviolet light generator, wherein the metal-organic framework material assembly is used to absorb carbon dioxide, and the ultraviolet light generator is used to emit ultraviolet light that irradiates the metal-organic framework material assembly to convert carbon dioxide into ethylene; An ethylene transmission pipeline is used to transmit ethylene generated by the ethylene generating device to the drawer body to provide ethylene for ripening the food to be ripened in the drawer body.

2. The ripening drawer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ripening drawer includes an air duct, the ethylene generating device is located inside the air duct, one end of the ethylene transmission pipe is connected to the air duct, and the other end of the ethylene transmission pipe is connected to the drawer body.

3. The ripening drawer of claim 2, wherein, The ripening drawer includes an ethylene separation membrane located within the air duct, which divides the air duct into a first space and a second space. The metal-organic framework material assembly and the ultraviolet light generator are located in the first space, and the ethylene transmission pipe is located in the second space, where it connects to the air duct.

4. The ripening drawer of claim 2, wherein, The duct includes a first end and a second end opposite to each other, the metal-organic framework material assembly is disposed at the first end of the duct, and the ethylene transmission pipe is connected to the duct at the second end of the duct.

5. The ripening drawer of claim 2, wherein, The air duct includes a top cover, and the ultraviolet light generator is installed on the side of the top cover facing into the air duct.

6. The ripening drawer of claim 1, wherein, The metal-organic framework material assembly includes a metal-organic framework material with added copper and a semiconductor material.

7. The ripening drawer of claim 1, wherein, The metal-organic framework material assembly is constructed in a honeycomb-like structure.

8. Ripening drawer according to any of the claims 1-7, characterized in that The ripening drawer includes a transfer pump, which is used to pump the ethylene generated by the ethylene generating device into the drawer body through the ethylene transfer pipeline.

9. The ripening drawer according to claim 8, characterized in that, The ripening drawer includes an ethylene detection device, an image acquisition device, and a control device. The ethylene detection device is used to detect the current ethylene concentration inside the drawer body, and the image acquisition device is used to acquire the current image of the food to be ripened inside the drawer body. The ethylene detection device, the image acquisition device, and the transfer pump are all electrically connected to the control device. The control device is configured to determine the current maturity of the food to be ripened based on the current image acquired by the image acquisition device, and to control the transfer pump to be in an on or off state based on the current maturity of the food to be ripened and / or the current ethylene concentration detected by the ethylene detection device.

10. A refrigerator characterized by comprising: The refrigerator includes the ripening drawer as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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